True Beauty
by Scandiadream
Summary: Fairy tale crossover about what is truly beautiful and important.


True Beauty 

by Scandiadream scandiadream@hotmail.com 

Disclaimer- CLAMP owns the MKR character. The Brothers Grimm wrote the fairy tale "White and Black". I made up this crossover. Kept the morals while getting rid of potentially offensive parts (not that Jakob and Wilhelm meant them that way).   


Once upon a time, there lived in a village a maiden named Emeraude and her younger brother Ferio. Their parents, Clef and Presea, had raised them to be industrious and kind. In the same village, there also lived a woman named Alcyone, who was so stunningly beautiful that even the fairest rose paled next to her. 

A good fairy, Primera, was headed towards the capital city and disguised herself as a poor woman in order to appear less suspicious. She asked Alcyone for directions to the city, but Alcyone told her to get a guide and later cursed her out. Primera became discouraged, but later saw Emeraude picking figs and asked her for directions. Emeraude proceded to give her detailed directions, as well as draw her a map so that she could find her way. And thus Primera revealed her true form.   
"Emeraude, I will grant you one wish."   
Just one wish? Emeraude wondered what to ask for. First she wondered if to become as beautiful as Alcyone, then she wondered if to get a purse full of money that would never be empty.   
"Remember what truly is good and important" she could hear her mother's voice.   
"Just make sure my family and I all reach Heaven when we die" Emeraude asked Primera. Her parents had taught her that she could work hard to achieve anything she wanted.   
Primera granted Emeraude's wish, and she then headed towards the metropolis. 

Shortly afterwards, Ferio was chosen to become a page for the King. Clef had the village artist paint a portrait of the whole family for Ferio to take with him.   
But when Ferio arrived at the palace, he noticed that the entire royal family seemed anxious and depressed. He asked the younger prince, Lantis, what was wrong.   
"My parents and I are sad because my brother is sad because he cannot find a suitable bride." Lantis said.   
Ferio immediately thought of his sister, but he did not dare mention her. However, that night he was gazing at his family's portrait when both prince Lantis and his younger brother Zagato walked into his room.   
"Ferio, come join us for dinner...Who is that beautiful maiden sitting next to you?" Zagato asked.   
"That is Emeraude, my older sister."   
"Please do tell me more about her."   
Unsuspecting, Ferio told Zagato and Lantis the truth about his sister, about the one wish she had made to the good fairy.   
"Ferio, I want to meet your sister. I think she is the bride I have wished for all my life." Zagato exclaimed.   
The little page was not expecting this, but he rejoiced, since he loved his sister very much. 

Ferio went back to the village to tell his family the good news and take his sister to the palace.   
"I can't believe this! My daughter is marrying the crown prince of Cephiro!" Presea was delighted.   
And of course, Emeraude was extremely happy, since she had dreamed about the handsome prince for many years, but had not told anyone nor thought she had a chance. 

Unfortunately, gossip traveled quickly in the village. And Alcyone quickly found out that Prince Zagato had chosen Emeraude as his bride.   
"I can NOT allow that. I am much more beautiful than she could ever be, yet he did not pay me a second look."   
Alcyone concocted a plan in order to pass herself as the chosen one.   
Ferio and Emeraude headed out towards the palace. They decided to take a rest near a lake. They were having a picnic, but when they were distracted looking at the rainbow that had just formed, Alcyone slipped a potion inside their juice. Both Emeraude and Ferio fell asleep shortly afterwards. Alcyone stole Emeraude's beautiful cape and cap in order to impersonate her, then pushed Emeraude to the lake. Alcyone thought Emeraude would drown, but instead a beautiful white swan rose to the top. 

"Sister, we fell asleep. Let's hurry to the palace." Ferio said upon waking up. He was so groggy that he could not tell that the woman in disguise was not his real sister.   
Alcyone and Ferio arrived at the palace. When Zagato spotted the disguised lady, he could not help but notice that she did not resemble the picture. Still, she was so beautiful that nobody asked any questions- on the contrary, they were all dazed at her looks. But when Ferio came back to his senses, he noticed something was wrong.   
"That is not my sister! That's the village tramp!" Ferio tried to tell Lantis discreetly.   
Alcyone overheard.   
"My little brother must have had too much to drink. Send him to his room and do not let him exit." Alcyone said.   
Zagato noticed that this lady was not at all like the loving sister Ferio had described. 

The next day, the kitchen maid, Caldina, was trying to decide what to prepare for the engagement party.   
A white swan flew into the kitchen and stood in front of her.   
"Oh, thanks swan, you just inspired me. I will make coq au vin tomorrow!" Caldina squealed.   
"Where is Ferio?" the swan asked.   
"Wow, a talking swan. You must be one of those fairies in disguise- yes, I've heard of them! Ferio's got sent to his room, punished for saying that the prince's fiancee is not who she says she is."   
"Oh yes? And where may Prince Zagato and his betrothed be?"   
"The lady has gone shopping. The prince is fencing with my husband Lafarge, the head guard." Caldina said, then looked both ways and whispered to the swan "I think Zagato is avoiding the girl. I won't deny you something does not seem right about her. But who am I to question? Hey, don't cry!" Caldina noticed that the swan had gotten teary eyes. 

"Hello Caldina? And what are you preparing for lunch today?" Lafarge and Zagato entered the kitchen.   
"Not talking swan, that's for sure." Caldina replied. But she had not noticed that the swan was transforming. Yes indeed, upon laying eyes upon the prince she had heard so many good things about, Emeraude transformed back into the lady she was. Zagato saw that she looked exactly like the maiden in Ferio's family portrait, and immediately knew that Ferio had told the truth. He apologized to Emeraude, who proceeded to tell him how Alcyone had usurped them.   
"Please let Ferio out first. He did nothing wrong."   
"Absolutely." Zagato compared the peaceful feelings he had now with the discomfort Alcyone gave him.   
Ferio added what he had witnessed, and Zagato and Lantis quickly told their parents how they had been deceived.   
When Alcyone came back, the king and queen told her confronted her, then deported her out of Cephiro for good. 

And the truly beautiful maiden and the prince got married and lived happily ever after.   
  
  
  
  
  
  



End file.
